Lasers are well-known devices used in many areas of industry including production of packaging materials. Production of packaging materials has conventionally been performed by die based systems. Conventional die based systems require not only large areas to store the dies, but also time to set a die to run a particular package configuration. The use of lasers offers the ability to produce packaging based on a digital format. An almost endless library of digital patterns can be neatly stored and organized on computing devices. These patterns are readily available for loading into laser based systems and can be ready to begin new production jobs in a fraction of the time that was needed for a die based system.
Use of laser-based systems allows companies the potential to eliminate conventional die based converting, along with the costly manufacture, maintenance, storage, and changeover costs associated with dies. While dies may continue to be the tool of choice for a number of applications, they are not always the best choice. As the laser industry continues to advance and mature, more and more applications have and will become laser based. Finer and more intricate packaging products can be cut with laser based than dye based systems
One of the advances necessary for this continued growth lies in the area of reduced post processing odor. While lasers offer a number of advantages, one of the disadvantages can come in a lingering odor that may be present post processing or converting. The odor can be a burnt odor and is undesirable in a number of applications of the converted materials. A large number of the high speed laser processing systems are CO2 based which operate in the mid infrared region and as such are heat based. The majority of the residue in laser-processed material is removed during processing in the form of vapor and particles. However, some can remain and cause an unacceptable odor. Porous materials can make this matter worse as odor causing compounds can be trapped in the porous areas. Paperboard is one such material that is well suited for converting with the CO2 laser. Unfortunately, paperboard can have an unacceptable odor post laser processing. In some areas of industry this odor is minimal and is tolerable while in others it is unacceptable.